Is Fringe In Its Final Season? Studio Boss Surveys the Far-Out Series' Future

Peter Bishop might want to think about not existing again, because the ratings for Fringe are getting kinda scary — and not in a cool translucent skin, third-arm-sticking-out-of-my-collided-selves’-chest kind of way. And yet another Peter — Warner Bros. TV president Peter Roth — says it’s too early for fans of the far-out series to freak out.

During its first season, when it aired on Tuesdays (sometimes leading out of a little show called American Idol), Fringe averaged 10 million total viewers and was known to score a 4.0 rating, if not higher, with the coveted 18-49 crowd. But in the show’s third year, Fox relocated the sci-fier from Thursdays to Fridays, and, well, we all know how that goes. The Season 4 opener this September drew 3.5 million viewers and a 1.5 rating, and at last count, heading into its winter hiatus, Fringefell below the 3-million viewer threshold for the first time, while matching its all-time low rating of 1.1 (set a week earlier).

Still, Roth, whose Warner Bros. TV produces Fringe, tells TVLine, “It’s too soon to tell” if fans should brace for this being the final season.

Rather, Roth is holding out hope that one of the “x” factors that kept Fringe Division’s doors open last spring at renewal time comes into play again — that being the Friday night drama’s unparalleled increases through Live+7 DVR playback. This season-to-date, Fringe is averaging a 54-percent bump in the demo once everyone’s DVRs are cleared, and a 50-percent gain in total audience (a surge only edged out by Chuck, which happens to be another WBTV property.)

“This is a show on Friday nights that audiences love to DVR, and as such we shoot up anywhere from 40 to 63 percent, when you calculate the Live+7,” Roth points out. “Hopefully that will be good enough for us to continue.”

However, Fringe‘s laudable Live+7 performance — which by the way is of not much consequence to advertisers whose commercials are being fast-forwarded during playback — was but one of the reasons it eked out a Season 4 pick-up last May. There was also the matter of WBTV reportedly reducing the licensing fee for the show, and the fact that come decision time Fox had other underperforming hour-longs (Human Target, Lie to Me, The Good Guys) to eye for the chopping block. But next time around, unless the Bones spin-off The Finder or Kiefer Sutherland’s Touch open very soft at midseason, only an extremely sweet deal from WBTV might keep Fox’s scythe from swinging Fringe’s way.

As Robert Seidman, co-founder of TVByTheNumbers.com, explains, “Last year Warner Bros.’ wheeling and dealing to get Fringe to 88 episodes for stripped syndication was surely a much bigger factor than DVR viewing or that Fox had a Friday scripted show (The Good Guys) that performed much worse, so there’ll be a higher degree of difficulty for a fifth-season renewal.”

Even the temptation to order a 13-episode fifth and final season for Fringe — if only to get the show past the 100-episode mark — might not be enticing enough for either party. As Seidman notes, “Serialized shows don’t do well in syndication.”

That said, Seidman (who last season was bearish on the show’s renewal prospects, only to be proven wrong) must allow, “It is Fringe, so anything is possible, even in this universe” — especially should the show scare up a ratings bump when it comes back Jan. 13 with the arrival/return of a very big baddie. “But for the fans’ sake, if this is to be the final season, I hope the producers are given enough lead-time to wrap things up nicely.”

This tv show is the best there is sand I never want this to end!!! The cliff hangers and thrill and excitement names the show amazingly amazing!!! If you are with me try to keep this show alive by watching it every Friday starting jan. 13!!! ❤

Maybe if FOX would stop messing with the schedule and actually air more than 3 new episodes in a row, the show could build momentum. I know it’s a crazy idea. By the time people realize the show is back on, it’s back to repeats.

With a show like this, I’d rather they just push it to midseason and do a 24 type deal (or 22). Have a 2hr premiere and finale and boom, that’s 17 weeks of television.

Thanks FOX for the 6 episodes we got to see this fall season. You guys really know how to spoil us.

Any reason 2 new episodes couldn’t air in December or would that make just too much sense?

totally concur. everytime i turn around it’s not on, or a repeat. I was saddened to hear at the end of last week’s episode that it wouldn’t be back until January. If they would have found a spot for it initially and stuck with it, it would have been fine.

Why would they move the show in the first place when it’s pulling in live numbers of 4.4 or higher in the demo? That seems like just a really stupid move. The show might get cancelled just because they’re being stupid about when it airs.

These people care nothing about their fans only the money that goes in their pocket. Yet its that lack of appreciation why they are loosing the revenue that they seek. I just don’t understand why they are so thick and blinkered with nothing much more than a very long tunnel vision.

I agree with Peter…..I live in the UK and I didn’t even know it had returned….I’ve been really enjoying season 4. Then it just disappeared with no warning….I trawlled the web and then found it has stopped being aired on sky until jan 2012……what the hell is that about…..you people @ fox need to get your act together……If we don’t know when it is going to be on/aired of course your ratings are going to be down.!!!!

Thank you Matt :) This makes me sad. I make it a point to watch new episodes of Fringe when they air live on Friday’s (and that’s not always easy to do), but I love this show and want it to stay. It’s just great writing and exceptional storytelling. I will continue to support it the best I can and hope all fans make effort to do the same as well. Fringe simply is great television no matter what night it airs and I’d hate to lose seeing it more in the future.

Well said dee123!
It is so unfair that Fringe, one of if not the most intelligent show on television, has to be put in this horrible place of uncertainty. The show runners have said countless of times that they have enough story and that if it was up to them they would want to do 6 to 8 seasons. Yet, here we are in season 4 and just because the show’s challenging us again with new questions and new answers and everything not being “quite right” since obviously the observers have told us that the timeline has been re-written and Peter erased, but he still continued to bleed through and he managed to come back. What the biggest question is now, was the timeline really re-written or have our characters just been altered without their knowledge? For example we see that Olivia’s getting pumped with cortexifan so who knows what and who is really behind this timeline confusion. Is Peter already home and he and our characters just don’t know it yet? What’s Jones got in store for them? If people have been paying attention they should know that things will go back and we will get our answers. It angers me that as soon as the regular viewers got a bit uncomfortable due to these new versions of out characters in this Peterless timeline, they started dissing the show! I have so much faith in Fringe and we have been confused as hell last season too, but things got sorted out and we got answers. That’s what Fringe has always done: we get answers but we also get new questions. But that’s the BRILLIANCE of the show. We’ve only seen 7 episodes and people are already “giving up”? That’s what dissapoints me the most. I’ve enjoyed the challenge of this season and all of the questions put before us and our characters, and with the new promo for what’s in store for us once the show’s back in January http://youtu.be/Kqp0bV6rfWM how can people ever lose faith in this genius show? Sorry but Fringe has never been a show where a having a brain is not a requirement in order to enjoy it. It’s never been a cashcow for the sheep that follow any procedural crap with the same format week in week out. Fringe is serialized television at it’s best and it is aimed at an intelligent market. So TRUE FRINGIES do not give up! Let’s push for season 5 because Fringe and us fans deserve it! I will be a Real Fan Forever and stick with Fringe through thick n thin till the end! And my gut tells me that we will get another season regardless of the ratings! VIVA FRINGE!

FOX is the worst out of all the networks when it comes to scheduling. I think a monkey on crack would do a better job of scheduling shows and getting them ratings/momentum so they can actually compete with other networks. It’s really astonishing that any shows can survive there at all given how badly baseball playoffs screw with fall premiere season on the network.

Baseball really screwed Fringe this time! If not for the rain, we’d be getting to see the return of Jones as the midseason finale, which should excite Fringe fans, making sure they’ll all come back in January. But without it, I don’t know how many will drop it. As it is, the midseason finale numbers were at an all-time low :-(.

I wish this article quoted anyone but Seidman. I’ve been over to his site and it’s just a negative place to be. There is so much snark written (for ALL shows – not just Fringe) and he does know that WB (and other production companies) make ‘deals’ to keep their shows running, right? He keeps saying this about Fringe but he never says what the deal exactly was. Which makes me think it was a lot of speculation on his part. And as someone who’s worked in syndication for years, I disagree with his ‘serialized shows don’t do well in syndication’ comment.There are a LOT of reasons why Fringe is still on the air, none of which he ever admits to.

By not being an ‘episodic’ procedural, every episode stand alone type of show, I understand why syndication may prove difficult. Anyone seen Lost scattered over your local TV station airwaves? I haven’t.

Thanks for putting it that way Forrest. I misunderstood and took ‘serialized in syndication’ meaning (to me) all the ways you syndicate it. As in over-seas/international deals, online platforms, ‘regular’ domestic syndication, etc. Not just the second run in the US.

And Alex, as nice as your tone of your comment sounded, this show gets big tax breaks on crew, to location shooting to VFX where they shoot. Also, when contracts were done for this show, I believe they were done in a 5 year term – meaning the salaries can’t be renegotiated or raised. The international audience for this is pretty big too and the marketing/DC comic deals they have that are pretty popular and keep momentum moving forward on this show. And if you really read that site, they don’t kiss any show’s ass over there. They are equally mean spirited to every show on the air. They aren’t honest as much as they are just down right rude.

Ok, genius, you tell us all the supposed reasons that this show is still around. You claim there are a bunch yet don’t name any. The people at TVBTN don’t kiss Fringe’s ratings-challenged butt. I like their honesty.

Fringe is one of the best shows on tv but they really messed up this season. The heart/core of the show is Walter/Olivia/Peter/ which they split up. And there’s virtually no alt universe or much about the broader story arcs. I trust that they’re building to some great stuff but for how long and at what cost. I fear in their quest to attract more viewers they only turned off the fans they worked so hard to build.

I agree. I felt like they took all the investment from the first 3 years and just wiped it out. So while, yeah, it was amusing to see the differences in the first few episodes, why bother to invest in these new versions of the old “family”. I love Fringe, but if I’m not that despondent about the prospect of no season 5, then the writers must have well and truly broken something, because I was in a totally different place last year.

They split up Olivia from Peter and Walter last season and it played out just fine, in my opinion. This is just another story line they’re pursuing and I honestly doubt the show will keep the amber opening forever, so I don’t see why fans can’t sit still and be patient. Things will solve themselves if we give them a chance; the worst thing is to doubt that and let Fringe end too abruptly with a question mark.

You mean that the actress on the show’s aunt DIVORCED Murdoch YEARS AOG and she never really knew him that well in the first place? Give me a break…It’s not like she’s Katie Holmes getting (minimal) roles b/c of her ‘husband.’ LOL!

Sad isn’s it, Anna Torv has been estranged from her father and his side of the family since being a child, she has said as much that she does not have a father.
Yet because she has his last name this comes up, and you know who does that, the above cited Tv By the numbers, that is their level of .

Clarification:
My insult remark is directed at Mr. Loiter.
And I feel sorry for Anna Torv who has had to deal with the likes of Tv By The Numbers since the beginning.
Fringe is produced by Warner Brothers and Bad Robots.
It is already sad enough that she has been estranged from her father since a child.

I have no problem with the show ndong this season. In fact, I had no problem with the show ending last season. I think its smart for a show to stop while it’s amazing than try to squeak out crap just to get 10 seasons. This being said, it needs to have a proper ending. If FOX were to cancel it today, that would be fine, because it would give the writers enough time to wrote the show into a proper conclusion. Just don’t let us get to may, with one hell of a cliff hanger, an then say, “sorry, it just didnt work out”.

I don’t really think Fringe has to have some sort of airtight “proper conclusion.” This show is not just about some “mystery” to be explained, it’s an entire expanded universe they’ve created. Really the greatest scifi world and mythology building since Star Trek if you ask me. They could resolve some things and leave others open-ended. The mythology could continue on in other formats if it were done well.

I don’t want the story to end and don’t want these characters to go away.

While in some ways true, there is definitely a vast gulf between shows that are written with the hope of a new season, and shows that get to end on their own terms. A ‘proper conclusion’, to my way of thinking, just means one that the writers are aware of in advance and can plan for to make the ending as satisfying as possible.

It’s unfortunate that this show is doing so poorly in the ratings. If Fox would have just left it on Tuesdays, it would have been doing so awesome–at least I assume it would have. It’s such a great story; it’s so different and so much fun. Plus I just love John Noble. But if the worst were to happen and it did get canceled, hopefully Fox will give it the ending it so deserves. This is actually one of the few shows I actually watch live, or at least maybe get a little behind so I can fast-forward through the commercials. I’m hoping for the best, but I’m also a realist. I will be a loyal fan to the end.

The fate of FRINGE still bothers me when it always becoming one of those “bubble shows” but if Fox is planning to renewed it for a Season Five, it will definitely be the series’ last. FRINGE on that, ratings.

I am tired of this, fox ruined my favorite show “lie to me” now they want to mess with Fringe? There are still MILLIONS of people that watch these shows but once again its run by money, and critics that hardly ever have anything nice to say! This is annoying and fox is really going to lose viewers if they keep up bad scheduling and sudden cancellations THEY DIDN’T EVEN END LIE TO ME just cancelled it ugh! Change it back to its original time follow it with like minded shows!

Hopefully if they end it they explain a lot of unresolved situations because I am addicted with the idea of dual universes

I don’t know what will happen with Fringe’s renewal prospects, but I will take anything Fox/WB is willing to give, at this point. I’m way too grownup to be in love with TV shows, but I have enjoyed this one like no other. After a lifetime of sitting through crappy television, it’s like someone created a show just for ME.

NO! Please don’t cancel Fringe! It only has low ratings because everyone who does watch it doesn’t have a freaking Nielsen Box! It among the last genuinely creative and well-acted shows left… Has American TV really sunk to the standards held by Glee and Jersey Shore?! Before they go right ahead and the cancel the show, they should even temporarily move it to another night, even for a trial run and see how well it does. It’s a fact that nobody, except for hardcore Fringe fans (like me!), are at home on Friday nights and it has nothing to do with the quality of the show… Give up on Fringe, give up on American TV standards.

I agree! Fringe is one of the few well-written tv shows still on air today. I don’t have a Nielsen Box but I still watch it live every Friday because I’m a faithful fan. I wish everyone’s views would count, not just those with a box because I don’t think they’re accurate.

Neilsen is useless – people are consuming TV in other ways in droves – ways that appeal to the way THEY want to consume TV. Are the ratings for CBS more accurate? Yeah, but still not great. But for genre TV (or 10 PM or weekend)? Not even slightly. Personally, I think 75% of the television out there is total garbage, yet cable providers and such will not allow people to buy by the channel, or buy access to individual shows (for viewing or download). This is totally idiotic in this day and age. So, people nab shows in other ways, watching it when they want, how they want, and usually without commercials (saves 20 minutes an hour). Considering that most commercials flat out lie or are intellectually (or otherwise) offensive, I can’t blame people from running screaming from watching them. Can’t I just BUY WHAT I WANT IN REAL TIME – otherwise, good luck with getting people to pay them for it. I’d happily pay for what I want (and nothing more).

I haven’t had cable (or broadcast TV) in about 8 years. It’s all been downloads and streaming (Amazon mostly, some iTunes). Occasionally a disc or two. God, I love it! I’ve been able to see pretty much all my favorite shows. I can’t remember what commercials are like…

It doesn’t work in every situation, but you may want to investigate further.

Fringe means so much to me. I literally cannot wait for each episode to air. The characters, the dueling universes, the mind-benders, I LOVE it. I love Walter, Peter, Olivia, Astrid, Broyles, Lincoln, Charlie, and Nina (Yes, her amber verse self is evil, but in our universe I love her)…

I’m going to shed a few tears when it ends anyway, but if it cuts off without a proper ending I might die.

Totally agree! Fringe is my favorite show because it has my favorite characters. Complicated, brilliant Walter (arrogant man of science turned humble man of faith- like a character in another Abrams show). Icy cruel Walternate. Tough, damaged Olivia and relaxed, fiery Fauxlivia. Subtle, sarcastic Peter. Brave, loyal alt-Lincoln and nerdy-cool Lincoln. Patient Astrid.this show means a lot to me because of what it says about the world and humanity. We need each other. No matter how advanced the world gets technologically, love is the center. And that is one of the most profoundand wonderful messages on TV today. Fox needs to show faith in a show like that, a show whose message is also lived out by it’s passionate community of fans who have bonded over this show. Please tell people to watch and save Fringe!

I agree. If Fox would stop bouncing it around and show more new episodes people wouldn’t get so frustrated and give up on the show. Also get Peter and Olivia back together. This “no memory of him” sucks. Get back to the original premise.

I am so sick and tired, of great show having to depend on a few people having a little box that said they watched. No wonder more and MORE people are going to cable for their drama fix. Networks only want to show no brainer comedies and reality garbage!

Sigh. I just hope that the writers will get enough notice to give us a proper ending. The fact that we have to wait till January for more episodes, makes even more worried about the ratings when it returns. I really do think FOX is supportive of the show, but unfortunately it’s a business.

I don’t think FOX is to blame.
They are really testing the audience’s patience with this storyline. I mean, can Olivia, Walter and Peter be themselves for a change? I don’t know, i’m still in love with the show, but i understand why the ratings are slipping. I think the real Olivia was in like 10 episodes last year…and none this year. How are we supposed to react?

The primary reason why a 5th season, even a shortened one, may possibly happen is that it will bring the show up to the magical 100 episodes, making it more profitable in syndication.

Despite the pathetic ratings, which have gotten worse since yet another genre show got stuck in the same time slot (thanks NBC), the show is doing way better than The Good Guys the last occupant of the Friday Death Slot, which was getting a 0.6 demo rating before it got unceremoniously yanked.

I love this show and will continue to watch live as long as it is on. Hopefully if it does get cancelled there is enough time for the writers to write an ending that has the needed closure for as many of the mysteries/character stories as possible.

I know it has serialized aspects, but I see it as more like THE X FILES in the sense that usually every episode also has a standalone story that anyone could follow, so I don’t understand the “it wouldn’t do well in syndication” stuff.

Fringe is a really great show but it was supposed to go on for 6 years,how are we supposed to get closure in just 4? Ugh and it’s the serialized sci-fi fans that always suffers too. FOX can shove their “Alcatraz” up their *ss cuz I learned my lesson.

Tbh i expected the low ratings. I agree with whoever said that they are testing the audience’s patience with this storyline. I love Fringe but I just can’t connect with these versions of the characters. All I could think while I was watching the last episode was ”this is not my show.” I know that they are leading up to something but its frustrating. The payoff better be good.

I completely agree. I really want this storyline to conclude quickly so that we can get back to our timeline and the characters we love. But unfortunately I don’t see it happening any time soon. That’s why I’m expecting even lower ratings.

There are such mixed feelings about season 4 of Fringe. I for one am loving this season. Can’t wait to see where the ride takes me. I don’t love that we have to wait until the new year for a new episode and I hate that the ratings are so low. Seriously, why are not more people watching this awesome show? We need a season 5.

As an Irish viewer, I know I don’t count when renewal is being considered but I have to say what a well written and thought provoking show Fringe is and how much I and so many of my friends enjoy it…We don’t want reality shows or talent competitions, we want edge of your seat drama that challenges ideas and characters that you can feel empathy for… It is so frustrating when a series is cancelled without some form of closure, I really hope that even if Fringe does not receive a fifth season, it will at least be given the chance to go out with a satisfying conclusion.

I’m a new viewer, just about to start the season 2 blu ray. I think there should be an anouncement if it is the final season relatively soon. I know a lot of people that have stopped watching solely because they dont want it to get cancelled without a decent conclusion. From a business perspective they should know that people flock away from serialized dramas due to not knowing if we’re getting an ending. That guy from WB is waffling off in tangents about DVR viewers, DVR viewers aren’t as important as he is making out. He knows something but cant tell us. If someone from either side at least said, yeah tis is the final season, viewers wouldn’t keep sliding, heck they might even show a slight growth.

If FOX cancels FRINGE, I will boycott watching anything from FOX. I am so sick and tired of my favorite shows which challenge you intellectually and have mythology being canceled and being replaced by garbage television like all those crap-tastic singing/dancing/reality/dating sludge of shows. It’s no wonder America has no creativity left, they stick with the same ho-hum non-sense.

I dropped quite a few shows from my viewing schedule this year due to lack of interest / drop in quality / etc, and I just realized that of all the dramas I still watch, Fringe is the only one on broadcast TV. If it goes, I guess I’ll be exclusively on cable.

I am a big fan of the show and I watch a lot of TV shows, but Fringe is only one of two Fox shows I watch (the other one being the New Girl). With a few exceptions, I mostly prefer dramas and sci-fi/fantasy stuff, so I’m quite angry at Fox for putting Fringe on Fridays. They really should move the show back to Tuesdays where it did best and where it was the crown jewel of the day. I don’t watch anything on Tuesdays other New Girl, but Fridays are packed with stuff I DVR and watch later. Save Fringe, pay attention to what the fans are doing. Put the show back on a night when we will watch it as it airs, commercials and all. Put it back on Tuesdays!

Why are earth did you talk to the TVBN guy to get perspective? They have a terrible track record in predicting whether a show will be renewed or cancelled, unless it’s very obvious. You’d have about the same chance tossing a coin and randomly picking bubble shows.

You hit the nail right on the head. This is the same network that canceled Family Guy twice, “stopped ordering” Futurama, didn’t give Married with Children a finale, and didn’t even give Firefly a full season…they could give a crap less about us, the fans.

One more thing working in Fringe’s favor: House, which Jumped the Shark (or Crashed the House) last season, is in the middle of what is almost certainly its last season because Hugh Laurie’s contract ends in May. In that context, it’s also smart to keep in mind that Fox has been threatening to cancel it for the past two seasons. It’s a *far* more expensive show for NBC Uni to produce than Fringe is for Warner due to the expensive salaries for House’s entire cast *and* its now-tone-deaf showrunners, David Shore and Katie Jacobs.